Red Runaway
by Aiden Ravelle
Summary: Lance leaves team Voltron


I don't own Voltron or characters, hope you enjoy!

"Has anyone seen Lance?" Princess Allura asked the group.

They shook their heads.

"I'm still mad at him for messing up the plan," Pidge admitted.

"And the plan before that," Keith added.

"I know he's trying…" Hunk responded.

"I've not seen him around in a few hours and he isn't in his room. Even if I'm mad at him, I'm starting to get a bit worried," Allura said.

"He probably fell asleep somewhere," Matt joked.

"Alright, let's take sections, I'll go check Red," Keith decided.

Twenty minutes later, Keith called the group, "Guys, I found a note. Meet me back on the bridge."

Once the group was surrounded Keith read:

 _Team Voltron,_

 _You've all said the team would be better off without me, so I'm leaving. I'm leaving Red to Matt. Pidge always wanted Matt to be a paladin, and he's such a good fighter, so here's his chance. I know he'll do better than me. Good luck finding Shiro, I know you'll find him without me dragging you down._

 _I'm heading toward earth, and though I know I'll never make it, maybe I'll find a hot alien chick to settle down with._

 _Good luck,_

 _Lance_

"Guys, this is our fault," Hunk realized.

"We have to find him," Coran gathered.

"I can't be a paladin!" Matt freaked at Pidge.

"Should we split up to look for him?" Pidge questioned.

Keith sighed, "Yeah, get to your lions and search. Matt, you can try Red, but knowing her, she won't let you in."

After searching for hours with no clues, they decided to take shifts so someone was always on the search.

"It's been three days, who knows how far he is by now," Pidge mentioned.

"And we can't form Voltron because I can't fly Red," Matt responded.

"Guys, Red is flying away…" Hunk stared out the window.

"Get to your lions and follow her. I know she'll lead us to Lance," Keith ordered.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVv

"We know you are a paladin of Voltron. Tell us how to get onto the ship!"

"I told you, I'm not a paladin, I don't know!"

"We have ways to make you talk. I know the pod you were flying had Altean technology, you have to be a paladin."

"Just kill me now, I'm not going to speak."

"Oh we'll see about that."

Lance was hanging by his wrists, feet unable to touch the ground. His pod was picked up by a Galra ship and he was now their prisoner. He didn't lie, he was no longer a paladin. But he wouldn't give them any secrets he did know. He may have left the team but he would never betray them like that.

His hands and arms grew numb, as the Galra pulled out a whip.

Lance winced as the whip cut through his shirt and skin. After 5 whips the Galra asked, "Anything yet?"

"You've got a pretty kinky way of torturing," Lance joked through the pain.

After 5 more whips, Lance just groaned and shook his head. At twenty total, a pool of blood was forming on the ground under him. Lance was starting to have trouble hearing and seeing. He knew the Galra was asking for more information but Lance was not taking the words in.

"I'm not a paladin!" Lance whined.

The one thing Lance could make out was, "Then why are the lions here?"

Lance tried to lift his head to look for the lions but was met with a whip to the face. It ran across his cheek and he could feel blood dripping down to his chin.

"Hand him over," Keith ordered as he entered the room. The others were fighting the rest of the crew.

"How about we trade, him for a lion?"

"How about no?" Keith ran up to attack but the Galra quickly grasped Lance and held a knife up to his throat.

"If you attack, I'll kill him."

"You're outnumbered now, the rest of your crew has been taken out," Allura informed entering the room.

"Just do it," Lance mumbled, he was getting really dizzy and felt like passing out.

Allura pulled out a gun and shot the Galra in the back, making him fall and drop the knife. Keith went in for a final blow to make sure he wouldn't attack again.

"We need to get you down Lance," Keith informed.

"It's gunna hurt buddy, but I need to pick you up," Hunk added.

"I'm not a paladin, I don't know anything," Lance begged in confusion before he finally lost consciousness.

When Lance awoke, he was falling from a healing pod into Keith's arms.

"What happened?"

"Never do that again. Yes, we might have been upset with you, but we do want and need you Lance," Keith let Lance out of his grip.

"Sorry…" Lance sighed remembering everything.

"I know it's been hard lately, but after losing Shiro, I couldn't bear losing you too," Keith admitted.

"How mad is everyone?"

"Everyone is just relieved to have found you and to have you back."

"I don't know how to face them; especially Allura."

"It's going to be fine, Lance. And we have all decided to do this weird meditation thing Coran suggested. It basically helps us calm down after missions so we aren't taking anger out on each other. We didn't mean to push you away."

Lance just nodded and changed the subject, "Why don't I have a shirt on…?"

"You're back had the most injuries and it would have interfered with the healing," Keith paused, "Turn around."

After Lance turned Keith winced, "You are covered in scars. I thought it could just be the one on your face but your back is covered too."

"At least I have some cool battle scars like Shiro now," Lance joked before yawning, "I don't even know how long I was in the pod but I'm tired."

"It's night time anyway, why don't you go to bed and you can see everyone in the morning," Keith yawned back, "I'm tired too."

"You didn't have to be sitting outside my pod."

"I didn't want you to wake up alone."

"You didn't want me running away again?"

"Both," Keith nodded as he put his hand on Lance's shoulder, "I am really glad to have you back, Lance."


End file.
